The difference between leadership and management
The other day, I watched a YouTube clip of speaker Seth Godin at the Nordic Business Forum in 2020. Mr. Godin explained the difference between leaders and managers, saying that leaders focus on solving problems and design what happens next. He also said that leaders are not afraid to be wrong and welcome it as an opportunity to learn. I completely agree with his points because I have held both leadership and management roles. Leadership fits me perfectly, whereas I find management stifling and stale.
No one holds the title of leader in companies and organizations. There are leadership teams and departments, but no one in the business has ‘leader’ in their official title. Have you ever wondered why? The answer became clear to me as I continued watching the clip: people follow leaders willingly. Leaders gather followers because they have either inadvertently invited or directly asked people to join them on the journey to becoming problem solvers.
As Mr. Godin stated, leaders have volunteers, whereas managers demand or direct people to go on the journey as riders rather than fellow explorers. Companies and organizations cannot afford leaders because the owners are the leaders, and as such, the owners cannot allow leaders to prosper within their businesses. The title of leadership as a collective is a falsehood meant to give the appearance of leadership beliefs, values, and traits, but only to a point.
Managers are tools for giving directions. Management is about doing as directed, and managers fear being wrong. As Mr. Godin stated, “being a manager means you care enough about being wrong and getting hit when things go wrong.” Leaders do not worry about taking the hit when things go wrong. Leaders have already assessed the potential fallout and accept that it happens in the course of leadership. A pie in the face is not a problem for leaders. Management is about using fear, shame, and anger as tools to keep people compliant and feeling defeated. Managers find roads, whereas leaders find processes. Leaders see opportunities because, once you see possibilities as a leader, you take responsibility and, as such, can develop processes.
Godin ends the clip with this: your job as a leader is to connect with people, challenge people, commit to the journey, be clear about where you are going, build a culture, and communicate with people. I believe this is a perfect way to end the presentation. It tells people what is expected of them as leaders. That is not an easy expectation to fulfill because it demands a lot from individuals who aspire to be leaders. Being a leader is difficult because it requires that you care and that you take full accountability and responsibility. It also means that you will be designated the fall guy. It can be lonely, and often there are no accolades, recognition, or reward.
The reward of leadership is advancing others. It is never about people acknowledging me; instead, it is about striving to improve another person’s life, whether by providing excellent service, facilitating someone’s learning, or showing a person possibilities for something else. At times, I felt awkward when my leadership efforts were acknowledged. I feel great and full of pride when I see someone I helped move forward.
Many people may not have liked Steve Jobs as a person, but as a leader, it is not remotely arguable that he improved many people’s lives, and for that, he will always be remembered as a great leader. The majority of the global public has volunteered to join Mr. Jobs on the journey of building the Apple brand. We were invited through his vision, his commitment, his challenge to us, his clear communication, his efforts to connect us all, and his community building.
Again, as Mr. Godin said, “leaders are made” - not just a title to bestow for appearances.
By Nick Higgins
Nordic Business Forum. (Aug 23, 2021). Seth Godin - Leadership vs. Management. What it means to make a difference. https://www.nbforum.com
